Frequently, when a user of an electronic messaging service (such as electronic mail, or E-mail) recognizes that he or she will be unable to respond to any received electronic messages, or will have limited access to such electronic messages, the user may prepare an automated reply message (sometimes called an “out-of-office message” or an “away message”) to be automatically transmitted to a sender of an electronic message to the user. Settings for preparing and automatically transmitting the reply message may be established on a computer through which the user accesses his or her electronic messages, or through an Internet Service Provider (or “ISP”) or other service provider by way of which the user receives the electronic messages.
Automated reply messages can include any information that may be designated at the discretion of the user, and typically contain a statement or message from the user, an explanation for his or her absence or unavailability, an indication as to when he or she will be fully capable of receiving or transmitting such messages in the future, and a way in which he or she may be reached either directly or through a designated agent. Users may create automated replies to be transmitted on one-time bases, or at regular intervals or time periods, and specific automated replies may be designated for transmission to specific senders of messages (e.g., one automated reply may be created for transmission to senders within the user's network, while another automated reply may be created for transmission to senders outside of the user's network).
Therefore, an automated reply, and a user's patterns in establishing and causing the sending of automated replies, may contain a significant amount of information regarding the user. For example, when considered in the aggregate, automated replies may provide an indication of a user's personal or professional tendencies, including when the user is available for electronic communications, where the user may prefer to travel, and alternate contact information at which the user may be reached, as well as the identities of trusted resources or agents whom the user may authorize to communicate or act on his or her behalf. Once an automated reply is transmitted to a sender of an electronic message from a computer, a server, a service provider or another designated source, the automated reply is typically read by the individual sender and discarded.